Your field sightings of reptiles and amphibians are valuable. All of them.
Our survey is designed so that anyone can contribute useful information from any town in the state. There are no assigned territories or required training sessions. People can contribute on whatever level they are comfortable; the time and place are up to them. Most individuals have quietly taken the time to report those reptiles and amphibians that they see at home or while in the field. Many important discoveries occur by just being in the right place at the right time. A great deal of useful information can be obtained from just reporting road-killed reptiles and amphibians. People interested in local history can help by finding old newspaper reports of reptiles and amphibians or locating references in town documents or local histories. We even have a convenient form for your use.
Curious as to what species we're most curious about right now?
Check out
our lists of Most Wanted and Rarest
or Common Species that Need Documentation
A record should be well-documented, so we offer some suggestions on how to write up your observations for the form. Good photographs of the specimen greatly enhance the quality of a record, but they are not required for the record to be useful. We can also help with some search tips to help find these animals. We also have some useful sources of Information on New England Reptiles and Amphibians.
It is absolutely acceptable to report the same species from the same location; if you are sending such a report, please try to get some documentation (photos, audio recordings, and such—especially if you didn't have that the first time), or perhaps measure the length of the animal. Is the weather different this time? Is it in the same habitat? Once we know a species is some place, it becomes very interesting to learn about what sizes (ages) are present at what times of year in what types of habitats.
Please print the form (you may fill it out before or after printing it) and mail both the form and supporting documentation to the address on top of the form. If you prefer, you may download a 2-page blank form as a PDF file, and print, fill out, and send us that.
Please submit the form (digital files can be uploaded with this form too). If you have any trouble, you are welcome to send your digital file directly jandrews@middlebury.edu. Please be especially sure to include your email address on the form.
You can still submit your sighting electronically or print and mail the 2-page report form (PDF). Thank you!